OBIT: Philip B. Crider, 1907, Bellefonte, Centre County, PA

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P. B. Crider

  Death of Philip B. Crider - Bellefonte and Centre county had lost
another of its prominent and well known citizens in the person of
Philip B. Crider, who died at the home of his son, F.W. Crider, on West
Linn Street, at 11 o¹clock yesterday morning. His illness dates back
some two years or more when he suffered a stroke of paralysis which
left him in a partially helpless condition so that he has been an
invalid ever since.  For the past year or so he gradually grew worse
and it was evident every day that his death was only a question of a
brief time, so that when it did occur it was not unexpected.
  The subject of this sketch came of good old sturdy ancestry.  He was a
son of William and Mary Crider and was born in Clinton county January
9th, 1822, so that he was just eighty-five years and one day when he
died.  At that early day the country was but meagerly developed and his
parents being poor he had few advantages of schooling and early in life
started to be self-supporting.  He learned the business of
manufacturing woolen goods under John Rich and John Hillard, at Pine
Creek, Clinton county, with whom he remained thirteen years.  He then
Purchased the old homestead an farmed for several years when he
launched into the lumbering business.
  His first venture was an operation between the Moshannoon creeks, in
this county, where he was engaged with Samuel Crist, of Lock Haven,
then one of the biggest lumber operators in this part of the State.  He
remained with Mr. Crist three or four years then began manufacturing
lumber for the Snow Shoe railroad company. Later he and Mr. Crist
purchased the plant and stock of Holmes & Wigton, also big lumber
operators.  He next associated with himself and his son, F.W., and they
began operations in the Snow Shoe region gradually reaching out until
they had operations in various parts of the country.  Some twenty years
ago they established their plant in this place and have since made the
planing mill business one of the important branches of their large
operations.
  Notwithstanding, the fact that he was so exclusively engaged in
lumbering he never lost his love for farm life and years ago bought a
large farm in Liberty township, this county, which he made his home for
several years and where he proved that farming does pay.  There is
probably not another far in Centre county that has been brought up to
the high state of cultivation as has the Crider farm in Bald Eagle
valley, while its buildings are models in every way.  In his farming
Mr. Crider was just as successful as he was in his lumber operations.
  He was a man of a rather retiring disposition so that he never
pretended to figure much in public life, though he was always a staunch
Republican.  His whole time was devoted to the management of his
business interests, a fact that no doubt accounted for his wonderful
success.  Though for a number of years the active management of all
their operations was in the hands of his son, Mr. Crider up until he
was stricken with paralysis two years ago was always kept tab on
everything and could transact business with the same sagacity he could
when in his prime.
  In 1844 he was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Miller, of Clinton
county, by whom he had three children, only one of whom survives,
Fountain W., of this place. Mrs. Crider died in September, 1885.
  At the time of his death Mr. Crider was a member of the Methodist
church and Rev. James B. Skein will officiate at the funeral which will
be held tomorrow morning. There will be brief services at the house
after which the remains will be taken on the 9:23 train to Lock Haven
where internment will be made in the Cedar Hill cemetery.

Democratic Watchman, January 11, 1907